REPORT
/ INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Mercury pollution inside dental hospitals quite high

A recent study reveals high level
of â€˜indoor mercury pollutionâ€™ in the air inside dental hospitals of the twin
cities.

The study conducted by the
Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) in collaboration with European
Environmental Bureau and Zero Mercury Working Group seeks to monitor mercury
emission and release sites in various cities of Pakistan and assess air quality
to protect environment and human health.

As the mercury metal and its
amalgam are widely used in dental treatment, SDPI monitoring team visited
various dental hospitals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad and took measurements of
indoor and outdoor air for mercury contamination using special equipment called
Lumex Mercury Analyser.

The study came up with the
findings that indoor air at some dental teaching hospitals has 8-20 times
higher level of mercury pollutants than permissible limit for human health.
However, the outdoor air around testing sites showed lower level of mercury
compared to indoor air.

These results were duly shared
with the staff and administration of these institutions with suggestions to
immediately adopt safety measures such as improved cross-air ventilation,
installation of exhaust fans and most importantly a reduction in the use of
mercury, its amalgam and waste at the dental treatment institutions.

The study, currently in progress,
also includes monitoring of other mercury source and release sites, which would
culminate into a comprehensive report that would be shared with relevant
stakeholders including Ministry of Climate Change, EPAs, administration of
dental treatment institutions, management of chlor-alkali and light product
manufacturing plants for subsequent policy actions. The report would also be
used to raise awareness in public on toxicity and health hazards of exposure to
mercury.